Start Your PS4s: Gran Turismo Sport's Closed Beta Is Underway [Video]

March 21,2017 02:51

Right around this time every year, there's a spike in desire for cars we can't afford, largely due to the supercar festival known as the Geneva auto show. The debuts of rides like the Pininfarina Fittipaldi EF7, the Lamborghini Huracán Performante, and ...

Right around this time every year, thereâ€™s a spike in desire for cars we canâ€™t afford, largely dueÂ to the supercar festival known as the Geneva auto show. The debuts of rides like the Pininfarina Fittipaldi EF7, theÂ Lamborghini HuracÃ¡n Performante, and the Pagani Huayra roadsterÂ have us suddenly searching eBay and Craigslist for the most attainable Ferraris and Porsches we can find. Thankfully, thereâ€™s another way to experience these megabuck cars: video games. The highly anticipated Gran Turismo SportÂ has opened in closedÂ beta this weekend to a select group of PlayStation 4 gamers.Now hard-core fans of one of the most realistic video game series ever will get their first chance to explore the new world of Gran Turismo Sport. Invites for this session were limited to gamers in the United States; entering did not guarantee a spot, butÂ PlayStation has opened an entry formÂ for future updates and possible invites. The GTS team will slowly roll out more availability as development and data collection expand.

After numerous delays that pushed the gameâ€™s release date from 2016 to 2017, this launch is a good sign for fans that the full game is nearing.Â Paired with the beta announcement are new images of the in-depth player profiles and racetracks along with a newÂ trailer. The image on the profile offers a look at the Driver and Sportsmanship ratings, which draw from individual driving characteristics and will be used to match skill levels more accurately for racing online against other gamers.

The new clip offers a secondÂ glimpse at the unbelievably lifelike graphics that Polyphony DigitalÂ and PlayStation are capable of. It shows kitted-out versions ofÂ the Mercedes-AMG GT, the Ford Mustang, and an Alfa Romeo 4C, among many others. It also shows racing both on tracks and in a cityscape.There is no official release date just yet, which is probably the right move. Nobody likes delay after delay after delay. If anyone out there has access to the beta, let us know what you think.